


A Long Time After

by Lys ap Adin (lysapadin)



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Angst, Gift Fic, M/M, Unfinished and Discontinued, first-person narration, possible fangirl japanese, variable pov
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2001-01-23
Updated: 2001-02-13
Packaged: 2017-10-03 20:39:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lysapadin/pseuds/Lys%20ap%20Adin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Duo and Heero, after a long interval.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Painfully old fic, reposted for the sake of archiving it. Original author notes below; some bits may be redacted for the sake of the author's dignity.
> 
> \---
> 
> Okay, this is a fic most respectfully and lovingly dedicated to Demona de LaCourt, who was the 50,000th visitor to my page at GWAddiction.  She requested a fic with 1+2 in it: this counts, in its own very twisted way. ^_^;;; Thanks for visiting my page!

You're sitting on my front step as I pull into my driveway. You look completely comfortable, even though your back is as straight as the posts holding up the porch roof should be and in spite of the fact that the neighbor kid is pelting you with questions. He must have recognized you from television.

You incline your head to me slightly; I shoo Zach, pouting, home, then stop a few feet from you. How long has it been? Two years? No, three. I hesitate to go inside, hesitate to say anything: a man kept out of his own castle by a besieging army of one. And you wait for me to make the first move... you always wait for my move. I guess some things never change, like the way sunlight glances off your cheeks and the way your hair refuses to submit to any guidance but its own. "Well, come in, then." Speaking frees me to move, and I brush past you and through the door. "Hungry?"

"Aa." Your voice is the same, too. Still flat, with only the necessary inflections. No need for embellishments.

"I am too. I'll cook." There is something in me that demands a certain elegance for this meal; it's the only thing that keeps me from grabbing a jar of peanut butter and shoving it at him. Instead I pull out the steaks meant for Wednesday night's dinner with Karen and start those. I can feel your vague curiosity, or maybe I'm just imagining things. I learned to cook, after. I learned a lot of things, after.

Neither of us speak until after I've put the vegetables in the steamer and pulled a pie out of the freezer to thaw. "Want a drink?"

You accept, and I immediately rule out business as the reason for the visit. That's good. I don't want to work for the Preventers, or the government, or anything that'll dredge up the old memories. "So, what's up, Heero?" My voice softens more than I like it to over the sound of your name, almost a vocal caress. I hate myself for it.

You lean against my counter, watching me as I watch the steaks, and your face is a still mask. "Things ended badly between us, didn't they?"

Well no shit, Heero. It took you how many years to figure that out? I snort softly. "Yeah, so what else is new? What's your point?"

"I want to try again."

Christ. How many times did I promise God or Satan or any range of deities in between my soul if I could just hear you say those words? Too many times, that's for sure. "No. Forget it, Heero, I'm not interested."

Ah hah. You didn't count on hearing that, now did you? Sometimes I wonder if you've ever been refused anything in life that you thought you wanted.

I turn the steaks and then wave the spatula at you. "If you'd shown up three years ago -hell, if you'd shown up a year ago -and said those words to me, I'd have been all over you." I shrug. "I spent a long time on you, man, but I'm through with that. I grew up, and I got tired of being a martyr to your cause. It's hard on a person."

"Is there someone else?"

Oooh, I'm scared. You've got that old possessive edge to your voice now. "No, there's not. Not really. But I sure as hell don't spend all my nights shut in, watching television or surfing for porn on the Internet." God knows I've had enough of that to last a lifetime. "Why, what would you do if I did have someone?"

You're quiet. "Duo. I'm sorry."

Heh. You're pulling out all the stops for this, aren't you? I don't think I've ever hear *those* words from you. "Yeah, well, I was too, Heero. Medium good for your steak?"

You catch my shoulder. "I mean it, Duo. I'm sorry."

"Heero, let go of me." Your fingers tighten, digging harder into my shoulder for an instant, enough so that I think I'll probably have bruises. Then you do as I ask. "I'll tell you something, Heero. Waltzing back into my life after three years and telling me you're sorry and want to start again isn't good enough for me. I wasn't put in this universe just to follow you around like a dog, spreading my legs whenever you're in the mood to fuck and putting up with your moods the rest of the time. Maybe I used to think that's all I deserved, and all I wanted, but things have changed. I've changed, and I'm worth more than that. Got it?"

"Aa. Got it." Was that a sigh? "Medium is fine."

"Liar. You know you like it well-done." I smirk at you.

"So what if I've changed?"

I flip the two steaks, both a perfect medium, onto a plate. "Well, then, we'll see."


	2. Chapter 2

"Duo?"

You acknowledge me with a quick glance in my direction as we sit on your front porch, waiting for my taxi. There's just enough light from inside for me to be able to see curiosity on your face.

There are a lot of things I could say right now. I want to say the right one - not like earlier, when I told you and told myself that I want to try again. We talked a lot over dinner, maybe for the first time since well before we fell apart. Maybe just for the first time ever. "Tonight... I enjoyed it."

"Yeah, me too." You sound a little amazed at yourself.

"I'm going to be around... for a while. Several months, maybe a year. Would you - could we do this again?" Is this the right thing for me to say? I hope so.

You're laughing quietly to yourself now. "Heero, are you asking me out on a date?"

No. Yes. Not if you don't want me too. I didn't know I was coming here until I found myself on this porch. I didn't know I still wanted you until I said it. I don't know. "Hn." There's a comfort in the refuge of the old, familiar patterns. I don't know what else to say.

"Your taxi's here." You stand, I stand, and the taxi pulls up to the curb, waiting.

Feeling a little bit like a fool, I head down the sidewalk, until your voice catches me mid-stride. "Oi, Heero - next time dinner's on you."

I turn and look back, and you're smiling, a little warily, and I know all is not forgiven, not by a long shot. "Aa. See you, Duo."

But it's a start.


	3. Chapter 3

The light blinks on my answering mission, patiently alerting me that someone felt it worth their time to contact me, endure my cutesy, annoying recording, and leave their own message.

That impresses me in a vague way. I can be *extremely* annoying when I want to be, you know. The fact that telemarketers never call my number twice attests to that.

I start water to boil for my tea, and stick a frozen pizza in the oven, and finally get around to listening to the message.

It's you.

I had forgotten about you. Well, nearly. Or I'd tried, and mostly... failed. But after two weeks of silence, I'd given up. Pretty much, anyway.

It's just like you to take things and do them in your own time. That much *hasn't* changed, I can see. Nor has your style of conveying information and requests in the most concise manner. "Duo: If you're still interested, call me" followed by your number.

The kettle starts screaming at me, and I realize I've been standing here like a fool, trapped in my own thoughts and confusion. Ingrained habit lets me make my tea while my mind occupies itself in analyzing the new situation.

You've left the choice to me. If I'm still interested. Not a demand, not a request... just an offer. The responsibility is all mine.

Damn you, Heero Yuy.


	4. Chapter 4

I gave up on you calling me two days ago. Silence for a day, even two, was understandable. I know I had to think about it for four days before I actually worked up the nerve to dial your number. I don't even want to think about how long it took me to make up my mind to leave a message when you weren't home. You and I have a history, and maybe it isn't the best idea I've ever had to open that chapter of our lives again. But after five days, I gave up on hearing back from you. Some stories just don't get sequels, I guess.

The phone rings.

I want to believe that it's you. I really do. Logically, it's probably Une, or someone connected to my mission here. But I want it to be you as I answer.

"Oi, it's me."

My knees want to go weak with relief, so I brace myself against the wall and try to sound normal. "You got my message?"

"Yeah, I got it." A sigh on the other end of the line.

"You sure took long enough to answer it." Oh, God, I didn't mean to sound that confrontational.

"I had a lot to think about," you snap back. "It's not like you didn't leave it completely open and up to me, ne?"

"I know. Sorry. It came out wrong. And I thought you wanted more... freedom." I'm trying, Duo, really I am. But if you aren't going to try too... "Maybe we should just forget about this and go back to our normal lives."

Another sigh from your end. "This is crazy. We're crazy. It's broken."

"Aa..." Of course it's broken. Of course we're crazy. "Thanks for calling anyway."

"Yeah, okay. See you around, Heero." The connection clicks, and you're gone. It's not until the line starts buzzing at me angrily that I hang up.

Some stories just don't get a sequel.


	5. Chapter 5

I hang up the phone, and I'm not sure how I feel about it.

It's finally over between the two of us, isn't it? I've admitted it, you've admitted it, and it's over. And it's only for old time's sake that I feel this sad.

Yeah.

* * *

For God's sake, why can't I stop thinking about you? A week and a half later, all I can think of is how shaky you sounded when I hung up the phone.

Very much against my will, my memory is dredging up the past. Whether it's accurate or not, I've got all these mental images of you now as you were then, hunched over your laptop, alone and thinking of the mission to the exclusion of everything else.

Damn it, I'm not your social director. It's not my responsibility any more. It's not.

It's *not*. I definitely don't need to renew that bad habit. If you want to have fun, you'll find your own method to recreation.

It's nothing *I* owe you.

Really.

* * *

I really hate you, Heero, I just want you to know that.

I've never been able to understand how you manage to spend so much time on my mind.

And I don't know why I'm doing this.

This *isn't* a second chance. It's just a favor, one friend to another, because I know you don't know enough people to have a social life, since you just moved to the area a month ago.

One friend to another.

Uh-huh.

* * *

It's two rings before you pick up. That's your typical efficiency at work. "Hey, it's me."

"Duo?" You sound a little startled.

"You were expecting maybe Wufei?"

"What is it? Is something wrong?" You try to sound professional, but there's an edge of worry to your tone that I guess you can't keep out of it.

"Naw, I'm fine. I just had a question for you." I'm trying to play this cool... "A few friends of mine like to get together every once in a while and hang out. I wondered if you'd like to join us some time. It'd be something to do, ne?"

"The mission keeps me busy -"

Aa, so you haven't changed that much after all. I interrupt. "It was just a thought I had, sorry to bother you -"

"You didn't let me finish."

"Oh, sorry."

"I'm busy, but if I'm free... I'd like the company."

I relax suddenly, and only then realize how tense I've been. "Well, okay. I'll call when I figure out what we're doing next."

"Aa. Thanks."

"No problem. See you." I hang up, and shake my head.

Well, this is going to be interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Postscript, many years later: And that's all I ever wrote of that. I honestly don't recall what I intended for this one, aside from Heero and Duo eventually hashing out their differences and getting back together... although not before going through emotional hell first.


End file.
